Multi-position electrical switch with improved guide rail and movable contact structue



y 9. 1967 L. c. HOY ETAL 3,3

MULTI-POSITION ELECTRICAL SWITCH WITH IMPROVED GUIDE RAIL AND MOVABLE CONTACT STRUCTURE Filed May 20, 1966 INVE/VOQS Leland C 1/0 United States Patent Ofiiice Patented May 9, 1967 3,319,016 MULTI- POSITION ELECTRICAL SWITCH WITH IMPROVED GUIDE RAIL AND MOVABLE CON- TACT STRUCTURE Leland C. Hoy, Skoltie, and l3orys Hazek, Mount Prospect, Ill., assignors to Iudak Manufacturing Corp., Northbrook, 111., a corporation of Illinois Filed May 20, 1966, Ser. No. 551,648 10 Claims. (Cl. 200-16) This invention relates to electrical switches. The present invention is particularly applicable to switches intended for automotive use, but is also applicable to many other types of switches.

One object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved electrical switch having several successive positions in which various circuits are completed, together with means for holding one of the circuits through a plurality of the positions of the switch.

Thus, for example, a particular object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved switch which is particularly applicable to the control of a heating and air conditioning system for an automotive vehicle, and which is capable of maintaining the circuit for the air conditioning clutch in a closed condition through a plurality of positions of the switch, while changing the speed control connections for the blower employed in the system.

A further object is to provide a switch of the foregoing character in which the arrangement for changing the circuit connections, while holding one circuit through a plurality of switch positions, is particularly simple and compact, yet dependable and effective in operation.

In certain aspects, the present invention constitutes an improvement with respect to the switch disclosed and claimed in the Boy and Hazek Patent ented December 14, 1965.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will appear from the following description, taken with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a switch to be described as an illustrative embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 2 and 3 are rear and front elevational views of the switch of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a front elevational view of the contact supporting plate for the switch and the contacts mounted on such plate, the view being taken generally as indicated by the line 44 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a rear elevational view of the switch with the contact plate removed, the view being taken generally as indicated by the line 5-5 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the front side of the movable carriage employed in the switch.

FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view showing the rear side of the carriage and the contactors mounted thereon.

FIG. 8 is a diagrammatic end view of the contact plate, taken generally as indicated by the line 8-8 in FIG. 4.

As already indicated, the drawings illustrate an electrical switch 10 having a movable operating member 12. In this case, the operating member 12 is in the form of a lever which is swingable about a pivot 14, carried by a bracket 16. It will be seen that the bracket 16 is mounted on a case or housing 18. The illustrated casing 18 is made of sheet metal and is rectangular in shape. Thus, the casing 18 has a front wall 20, a pair of relatively long side walls 22 and 23, and a pair of relatively short side or end walls 24 and 25. The rear side of the casing 18 is closed by a contact supporting member or plate 26, preferably made of insulating material. The details of the plate 26 will be described presently.

No. 3,223,794, pat- 5 guide lugs or The lever 12 is adapted to operate a carriage 28 which is movable longitudinally within the casing 18. Preferably, the carriage is made of plastic or some other suitable insulating material. The illustrated carriage 28 is gen erally square or rectangular in shape.

The lever 12 has a rear or inner arm 30 which is engaged with the carriage 28. The arm 30 extends into the casing 18 through a longitudinal slot 32 in the front wall thereof. At its rear end, the arm 30 is formed with a rounded rocker portion 34 which is received in a slot or recess 36 formed in the carriage 28. When the lever 12 is swung back and forth, the rounded end portion 34 of the lever slides and rocks in the slot 36, while the carriage 28 is moved longitudinally within the casing 18. The lever 12 has a front or outer arm 38 which may be operated manually or by means of a suitable mechanism.

In the illustrated switch, two contactors 40 and 42 are mounted on the carriage 28, for movement therewith. The details of the contactors will be described presently. Springs 44 and 46 are provided between the carriage 28 and the respective contactors 40 and 42. The springs bias the contactors rearwardly toward the contact plate 26, while biasing the carriage forwardly against the front wall 20 of the casing.

The illustrated switch is provided with detent means for detaining the carriage 28 in several operating positions. At least one detent projection 48 extends forwardly from the contactor 28 toward the front wall 20. The illustrated contactor 28 is provided with four such projections 48, which are located generally at the four corners of the carriage. The detent projections 48 are engageable with a series of alternate detent projections and notches 50 and 52 on the front wall 20 of the casing. The projections and notches 50 and 52 are arranged in two rows adjacent the opposite side walls 22 and 23.

The illustrated contactors 40 and 42 are of two different constructions. It will be seen that the contactor 40 is in the form of an elongated member or bar made of sheet metal or other similar fiat conductive material. The

.contactor 40 is formed with two rearwardly offset contact members or bosses 54 and 56, which are spaced apart longitudinally and preferably are at the opposite ends of the contactor. A connecting portion 58 extends between the bosses 54 and 56. It will be seen that the bosses 54 and 56 are offset rearwardly from the connecting portion 58. The illustrated spring 44 for the contactor 40 extends between t'he connecting portion 58 and the carriage 28 and is retained in a circular recess or socket 60 formed in the rear side of the carriage. The springs 44 and 46 are of the coiled compression type.

Preferably, the contactor 40 is formed with a pair of tabs 62 which project toward the carriage 28 from the ends of the bosses 54 and 56. Guide slots or notches 64 are formed in the carriage 28 to receive the tabs 62. It will be understood that the tabs 62 are slidable rearwardly and forwardly in the slots 64. In this way, the contactor 40 is located on the carriage 28 while being supported for forward and rearward movement.

A longitudinal recess is preferably formed on the rear side of the carriage 28 to receive and locate the contactor 40. The recess 66 is formed between the rearwardly projecting ribs 68 and 70.

The other contactor 42 is in the form of a loose or movable rivet having a head 72 and a cylindrical stem or shank 74. The head 72 is smoothly rounded and preferably has a spherical curvature. The stem 74 extends into the coil spring 46, which is received and located in a socket or recss 76 formed in the rear side of the carriage 28. The spring 46 acts between the carriage and the under side of the head 72. It will be understood that the contactor 42 is gmided for forward and rearward movement relative to the carriage 28 while being retained in the carriage for movement therewith.

The contact supporting member or plate 26 is suitably secured to the rear side of the casing 18. As shown, the casing 18 is provided with a plurality of tabs 78 which extend through notches or slots 79 in the edge portions of the plate 26 and are bent or clinched inwardly behind the plate 26.

A number of contacts and contact members are mounted on the front or inner side of the contact supporting member or plate 26. As shown to best advantage in FIG. 4, a series of four contact points 81-84 are mounted on the plate 26 in a longitudinal row, for engagement by the elongated contactor 40. Preferably, the contact points 81-84 take the form of smoothly rounded rivet heads. As shown, the contact points are generally spherical in curvature.

As shown to best advantage in FIG. 2, the contact points or rivets 81-84 include shank portions 91-94 which extend through openings in the insulating contact plate 26. Terminals 101-104 are mounted on the rear ends of the rivet shanks 91-94, which are upset to clamp the terminals against the rear side of the insulating board.

In this case, two additional contact points 105 and 106 are provided on conductive extension members or plates 107 and 108 which are clamped under the contact points 82 and 83. As shown, the contact points 105 and 106 are embossed on the extension plates 107 and 108. It will be seen that the contact point 105 is disposed between the contact points 82 and 83, while the contact point 106 is disposed between the contact points 83 and 84.

Means are provided to prevent the extension plates 107 and 108 from rotating about the points or rivets 82 and 83. As shown, the plates 107 and 108 are formed with tabs 110 and 111 which project rearwardly through openings 112 and 113 in the insulating board 26.

In the illustrated construction, an insulating point or boss 116 is provided between the contact points 81 and 82. The insulating boss 116 may be formed integrally with the insulating board 26, and preferably takes the form of a semiperforation which is punched forwardly by a punch press or die forming operation.

To cooperate with the single contactor 42, the contact board 26 is provided with a pair of substantially parallel rails or runners 118 and 120 which form a track along which the contactor 42 is movable. The contactor 42 is adapted to form a bridge between the rails 118 and 120. While the rails 118 and 120 may assume various forms, they are shown as cylindrically curved embossments on the metal contact plates 122 and 124. Each of the rails 118 and 120 comprises approximately one half of a full cylinder.

The illustrated contact plate 122 is secured to the insulating board by means of a rivet or other suitable fastener 126 which extends through an opening in the board. A terminal 128 is secured to the rear end of the rivet 126 and is clamped against the rear side of the insulating board 26. To prevent the plate 122 from rotating about the rivet 126, the plate is formed with a tab 130 which extends through an opening 132 in the insulating board 26.

In the illustrated construction, the contact rivet 81 is employed to secure the metal plate 124 to the insulating board 26. Thus, the rivet 81 serves not only as a contact point but also as a connecting device for the plate 124. Thus, the terminal 101 is connected to the rail 120 as 'well as the contact point 81. To prevent the plate 124 from rotating about the rivet 81, the plate is formed with a tab 134 which projects rearwardly through an opening 136 in the insulating board 26.

The rail 118 is shorter than the rail 120 and extends parallel to the rail 120 for a portion of its length. An extension or guide rail 138 is provided opposite the remaining portion of the rail 120. The guide rail 138 constitutes a mechanical extension of the rail 118 but is not electrically connected thereto. Thus, the guide rail 138 extends along the same line as the rail 118. In this case, the rail 138 is electrically connected to the rail 120 by means of a web of metal 140 therebetween. Thus, the guide rail 138 is also formed as a cylindrically curved embossment on the metal contact plate 124. The rails 120 and 138 form a track which is an extension of the track between the rails 118 and 120.

The illustrated switch may be employed to control various electrical circuits. By way of example, FIG. 4 shows a circuit for an automotive heating and air conditioning system. In the illustrated circuit, the contact points 81 and 83 are connected directly to the ungrounded side of an automotive battery 142, by means of leads 144 and 146. The other side of the battery is grounded to the frame of the automotive vehicle. The contact point 84 is connected directly to the ungrounded side of a blower motor 148, by means of lead 150. The other side of the motor is grounded. A speed reducing resistor 152 is connected between the contact points 82 and 83.

The rail 118 is connected directly to the ungrounded side of a clutch solnoid 154, by means of a lead 156. Th other side of the solenoid 154 is grounded. The solenoid 154 may be employed to control the clutch for the air conditioning compressor. When the solenoid is energized, the compressor is driven through the clutch by the engine of the automotive vehicle.

It may be helpful to recapitulate the operation of the switch. In FIGS. 1, 4, and 5 the switch is shown in an Oil position, in which the carriage 28 is at the lower end of the casing 18. The rounded head 72 of the single con tactor 42 engages the rails 120 and 138, both of which are connected to the contact point 81. Th double contactor 40 engages the insulating boss 116 and the metal plate 124, and thus does not complete any circuit. The Off positions of the contactors 40 and 42 are shown in broken lines in FIG. 4.

In the second position of the switch, the double contactor 40 engages the contact points 8 1 and 82 and thus compeltes a circuit therebetween. The contact boss 54 en= gages the contact point 82, while the contact boss 56 engages the contact point 81. The current from the bat tery 142 flows through the contactor 40 between the corn tact points 81 and 82, and then through the resistor 152 to the blower motor 148, so that the blower motor is oper= ated at reduced speed. The single contactor 42 engages the rails 120 and 138 and thus does not complete any electrical circuit.

In the third position of the switch, the double con tactor 40 engages the insulating boss 116 and the contact point on the extension plate 107. Thus, the double contactor does not complete any circuit. Accordingly, the motor 148 is deenergized. However, the single contactor 42 is moved upwardly so as to engage the rails 118 and 120. Thus, the current from the battery 142 flows through the contact rivet 81, the plate 124, the rail 120, the contactor 42, the rail 118, the plate 122, and the rivet 126 to the solenoid 154, which is energized so as to start the air conditioning compressor.

In the fourth position of the switch, the double contactor 40 engages the contact points 82 and 83. Thus, the current from the battery 142 fiows through the leads 144 and 146, the contact points 82and 83, the contactor 40, and the resistor 152 to the motor 148, so that the motor is energized to operate at reduced speed. The single contactor 42 continues to form a bridge between the rails 118 and so that the circuit to the air conditioning clutch solenoid 154 is held in a closed condition.

In the fifth position of the switch, the double contactor 40 engages the contact points 105 and 106 on the extension plates 107 and 108, which are connected to the contact points 82 and 83, so that the motor 148 continues to be energized for operation at reduced speed. The single contactor 42 continues to hold the energizing cit-- cult to the solenoid 154 in a closed position.

In the sixth and final position of the switch, the double contactor 40 engages the contact points 83 and 84. Thus, the battery current flows directly to the motor 148, without passing through the resistor 152, so that the motor 18 energized for operation at maximum speed. The single contactor 42 continues to engage the rails 118 and 120 so as to hold the clutch solenoid 154 in an energized condition.

Thus, the circuit to the clutch solenoid 154 is held in a closed position through four of the six positions of the switch. This advantageous action is brought about by the rails 118 and 120, in cooperation with the single contactor 42, which forms a bridge between the rails. If desired, the rails may be arranged to provide such a loading action for various other positions of the switch, while the various other control connections are being changed by the double contactor 40.

It will be seen that the six positions of the switch are marked 1-6 in FIG. 1. For the convenience of the user, the terminal board or plate 26 is marked with the letters A, B, C, D, and F opposite the terminals 103, 128, 102, 101, and 104, respectively. In FIG. 1, the six positions of the switch are also marked with the circuits which are completed for each position, in terms of these letters, as follows:

Position: Circuits completed 1 OH. 2 C-D. 3 D-B. 4 A-C, D-B. 5 A-C, D-B. 6 A-F, D-B.

This tables summarizes the operation of the illustrated switch, and it will be of assistance to those skilled in the art.

Various other modifications, alternative constructions, and equivalents may be employed without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention, as exemplified in the foregoing description and defined in the following claims.

We claim:

1. An electrical switch,

comprising the combination of a casing,

an insulating carriage movable longitudinally in said casing,

a movable operating member for moving said carriage,

a first contactor mounted on said carriage and comprising a single rounded contact point,

a double contactor mounted on said carriage and comprising two spaced contact members,

a contact supporting board closing the rear side of said casing and made of insulating material,

a plurality of fixed contact points mounted on said board in a longitudinal row and engageable in a predetermined sequence by said double contactor,

first and second generally parallel contact rails mounted on said board and engageable by said first contactor,

said second rail being connected to one of said fixed contact points,

a first spring biasing said first contactor rearwardly against said rails,

a second spring biasing said double contactor rearwardly against said fixed contact points,

said first contactor forming a movable bridge between said rails,

said first rail extending along a portion of the length of said second rail,

and a guide rail mounted on said board and extending along an additional portion of said second rail,

said guide rail constituting a mechanical extension of said first rail but being electrically isolated therefrom.

2. In an electrical switch,

the combination comprising a casing,

an insulating carriage movable longitudinally in said casing,

a movable member for moving said carriage,

an insulating contact support opposite said carriage and constituting one wall of said casing,

first and second generally parallel contact rails mounted on said support and extending longitudinally there along,

said first rail extending along a portion of the length of said second rail but being electrically isolated therefrom,

a guide rail mounted on said support and extending along another portion of said second rail,

said guide rail constituting a mechanical extension of said first rail but being electrically isolated therefrom,

a contactor mounted on said carriage and consisting of a single contact point slidably engageable with said first and second rails and forming a bridge therebetween,

and spring means biasing said contactor against said first and second rails.

3. In an electrical switch,

the combination comprising a casing,

an insulating carriage movable longitudinally in said casing,

a movable member for moving said carriage,

an insulating contact support opposite said carriage and constituting one wall of said casing,

first and second generally parallel contact rails mounted on said support and extending longitudinally therealong,

said first rail extending along a portion of the length of said second rail but being electrically isolated therefrom,

a guide rail mounted on said support and extending along another portion of said second rail,

said guide rail constituting a mechanical extension of said first rail but being electrically isolated therefrom,

a contactor mounted on said carriage and consisting of a movable rivet having a single rounded contact point slidably engageable with said first and second rails and forming a bridge therebetween,

said rivet having a shank portion,

said carriage having an opening for receiving and guiding said shank portion,

and a coil spring received around said shank portion and compressed between said rivet and said carriage for biasing said contact point against said first and second rails.

4. In an electrical switch,

the combination comprising a casing,

an insulating carriage movable longitudinally in said casing,

a movable operating member for moving said carriage,

an insulating contact support opposite said carriage and constituting a wall of said casing,

first and second generally parallel contact rails mounted on said support and extending longitudinally therealong,

a contactor mounted on said carriage and comprising a stem portion with a head portion thereon forming a single rounded contact point engageable with said first and second rails,

said contact point forming a movable bridge between said first and second rails,

said first rail extending along a portion of the length of said second rail,

guide means extending along an additional portion of said second rail for guiding said contact point,

said carriage having an opening therein for receiving and guiding said stem portion of said contactor,

and a coil spring received around said stem portion and compressed between said contactor and said carriage for biasing said contact point against said first and second rails.

5. In an electrical switch,

the combination comprising a casing,

an insulating carriage movable longitudinally in said casing,

a movable operating member for moving said carriage,

an insulating contact support opposite said carriage and forming a wall of said casing,

a plurality of fixed contact points mounted in a longitudinal row on said support,

first and second generally parallel contact rails mounted on said support and extending generally parallel to said row of fixed contact points,

a first contactor mounted on said carriage and having a single contact point slidably engaging said first and second rails and forming a movable bridge therebetween,

and a second contactor mounted on said carriage and having a plurality of contact portions engageable with said fixed contact points,

said first rail extending along a portion of the length of said second rail,

said first contaotor being effective to establish a circuit between said first and second rails for a plurality of positions of said second contactor in its movement along said fixed contact points.

6. A combination according to claim 5,

including guide means for said first contactor extending along an additional portion of said second rail in longitudinal alignment with said first rail.

7. A combination according to claim 5,

including spring means biasing said first and second contactors against said rails and said fixed contact points.

8. A combination according to claim 5,

in which said contact point of said first contactor is smoothly rounded with a generally spherical curvature.

9. A combination according to claim 5, a

in which each of said rails is smoothly rounded with a generally cylindrical curvature.

10. A combination according to claim 5,

in which one of said rails is connected to one of said contact points.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,196,223 7/1965 Hartsock 20016 3,223,794 12/1965 Hoy et al. 20016 25 ROBERT K. SCHAEFER, Primary Examiner.

J. R. SCOTT, Assistant Examiner. 

1. AN ELECTRICAL SWITCH, COMPRISING THE COMBINATION OF A CASING, AN INSULATING CARRIAGE MOVABLE LONGITUDINALLY IN SAID CASING, A MOVABLE OPERATING MEMBER FOR MOVING SAID CARRIAGE, A FIRST CONTACTOR MOUNTED ON SAID CARRIAGE AND COMPRISING A SINGLE ROUNDED CONTACT POINT, A DOUBLE CONTACTOR MOUNTED ON SAID CARRIAGE AND COMPRISING TWO SPACED CONTACT MEMBERS, A CONTACT SUPPORTING BOARD CLOSING THE REAR SIDE OF SAID CASING AND MADE OF INSULATING MATERIAL, A PLURALITY OF FIXED CONTACT POINTS MOUNTED ON SAID BOARD IN A LONGITUDINAL ROW AND ENGAGEABLE IN A PREDETERMINED SEQUENCE BY SAID DOUBLE CONTACTOR, FIRST AND SECOND GENERALLY PARALLEL CONTACT RAILS MOUNTED ON SAID BOARD AND ENGAGEABLE BY SAID FIRST CONTACTOR, SAID SECOND RAIL BEING CONNECTED TO ONE OF SAID FIXED CONTACT POINTS, A FIRST SPRING BIASING SAID FIRST CONTACTOR REARWARDLY AGAINST SAID RAILS, A SECOND SPRING BIASING SAID DOUBLE CONTACTOR REARWARDLY AGAINST SAID FIXED CONTACT POINTS, SAID FIRST CONTACTOR FORMING A MOVABLE BRIDGE BETWEEN SAID RAILS, SAID FIRST RAIL EXTENDING ALONG A PORTION OF THE LENGTH OF SAID SECOND RAIL, AND A GUIDE RAIL MOUNTED ON SAID BOARD AND EXTENDING ALONG AN ADDITIONAL PORTION OF SAID SECOND RAIL, SAID GUIDE RAIL CONSTITUTING A MECHANICAL EXTENSION OF SAID FIRST RAIL BUT BEING ELECTRICALLY ISOLATED THEREFROM. 